The Family That Bakes Together

We were treated to a lovely Memorial Day gift of having Eric's parents in town visiting (along with dog Josiah). It was a nice a relaxing time together Friday night and Saturday. We did a little gardening and a little work around the house. They learned how to play Carcassonne, and let Eric win both times because his birthday is coming up next week. In fact, Sharon made a yummy jello-pudding cake, enjoyed by all, and still being enjoyed by us now that they're back in Tennessee.

My mom thought that my dad would enjoy some warm fresh pita and hummous from La Shish (that is, "Charlie's Meditteranean Cuisine", since the parent restaurants have had some PR issues), since he still reminisces fondly about fresh pita baked in clay ovens in the old town of Jerusalem during his visit there. I don't know if we could top that (in fact, I'm quite certain we couldn't), but if any place in the USA could try, it's southeast Michigan, and the La Shish was good as always.

We continued on that theme, by taking them to Aladdin's Middle East Market and the adjacent Sunshine Fruit Market, for a tour, a yummy date bar, and a perusal of a very large selection of olives. Mom is going home to try some hummous of her own. Then, we went home and baked a couple loaves of Turkish Black Olive and Olive Oil Bread for May's Ethnic Bread of the Month. Have you ever wondered what black olives, onions, and mint taste like together? Neither had we. But now we know, and the answer is that you can't really taste the mint.